


I Wasn't Saying He Hasn't Changed

by ChromeEdwardian



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Adamant Fortress, Aftermath, Cullen critical, F/M, Gen, Mage Rights, One-Shot, Relationship Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-07-30
Packaged: 2018-07-27 15:52:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7624690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromeEdwardian/pseuds/ChromeEdwardian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawke isn't Cullen's biggest fan, and is more than willing to tell Inquisitor Lavellan about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Wasn't Saying He Hasn't Changed

The green light of the Fade dissipates, and she is left with the searing red sight of Adamant, toppled in places by the so-called Archdemon. She falls onto her hands and knees, panting, the cool of the stone a comfort on her hands. The sound of footsteps running toward her, gentle hands on her shoulder. She is the Inquistor, and she's emerged from the Fade yet again. 

Aurelia Lavellan stands up slowly, with the help of one of the Inquisition's soldiers, and surveys the damage. Sera is alive, but in a crumpled heap, her face contorted with panic. Everyone else seems fine. Hawke is standing, staring at where the portal closed, her jaw thrust forward like she's thinking or trying not to cry. Aurelia doesn't know how well Hawke knew Stroud, but she feels for the Champion regardless. The conflict, it seems, has ended. 

Cullen comes running down the stairs with her other advisers with him. Aurelia feels tired all of a sudden, looking at him. He catches her eye and slows. The relief on his face is hard to miss, and suddenly, all Aurelia wants is to run to him. Restraint, however, is of the essence. She uncomfortably notices the incredulous looks on people's faces, both Inquisition soldier and Grey Warden, as they look in her direction for guidance, but she's still trying to come to terms with what happened herself. Her memories of the Conclave have been restored, she's trying to decide who or what that Justinia was supposed to be, and she's hoping with all of her might that whatever happened tonight, Corypheus has been hindered in _any_ significant way. 

Next, comes the state of chaos she's come to expect from the Inquisition. Lots of talking, and her advisers approach her with the pathetic form of Livius Erimond in chains before them. Wearily, she hands the magister to the discretion of the Grey Wardens, pardons the Wardens, and makes her way back to the main camp. 

Once back at camp, Aurelia looks for Cassandra, but instead, she's waylaid by Cullen, who scoops her up and holds her tightly. "I was so worried about you."

"I know," she says. "I'm sorry." 

He gives a final squeeze before letting her go. Over his shoulder, Aurelia sees Hawke with the deadliest expression on her face. At first, she thinks Hawke is simply trying to be funny, and she smiles back at her. Cullen has, after all, related every moment of Hawke's antagonizing behavior toward him. Not for the first time, she wonders what happened in Kirkwall. He doesn't talk about it at all. He talks about his time in Kinloch Hold with regret, but either his time in Kirkwall was very dull indeed, or something had happened that was far too painful for him to mention. Something more painful than the torture Uldred's demons had lay on him. Aurelia doesn't pry, and holds onto the hope that one day he will tell her.

"Maker, I don't know what I would do..." he continues.

"Hey," she says, taking his hands, wishing she could feel their warmth through his gloves. "It's alright. I'm pretty sure by now I'm indestructible."

His face relaxes. "You're right." That smirk of his shows up, and her face heats up. "Next time you're facing certain doom, I'll just wait for you at the tavern and wonder what's taking you so long."

"You don't think I'd abandon certain doom without turning over every stone first, do you? You're just going to have to be patient."

He shakes his head, laughing to himself. "Go rest. You've more than earned it." Gently, he guides her in the direction of her tent, before disappearing in the ranks of his soldiers.

Hawke catches up with her. "I never want to do that again."

Aurelia agrees with her. "You mean traversing the Fade doesn't appeal to your sense of adventure?"

"I didn't ask for any of this. I only came as a favor to Varric. Sometimes I think I wouldn't care if this whole continent went up in flames." But then she smiles. "I prefer my demon-slaughtering to be on this plane."

"Varric is going to have a bloody good time writing this scenario out, isn't he?" Aurelia asks.

"All the more better he wasn't there," Hawke says softly. "When that...thing...started talking to me, saying how Anders will die just like everyone else I've ever loved..." Aurelia feels the rage emitting from Hawke. "It's a low blow that everyone--keeps--making." Hawke stops suddenly and breathes deeply. "You and the Knight Captain."

"He's not Knight--"

"He will always be a templar at heart," Hawke interrupts her. "How he manages with all these mages around, I'll never know. He's not a good man, Inquisitor."

"Of course he is. And he's told me about that," Aurelia says, partially annoyed, partially hoping she'll get something more about Kirkwall out of Hawke. "About his time in Ferelden, anyway."

Hawke sneers, "He was like this," she crosses her fingers "with Knight-Commander Meredith. He was her little bitch hound up until the very moment she was no longer human. He would have had every mage Tranquilized if he'd had his way. Because according to Cullen I know, mages are sub-human. Maker knows what he thinks of elf mages."

Aurelia holds her tongue. She's still listening. She understands that Hawke is a radical mage sympathizer, and that from her perspective, Cullen must have seemed to be the worst kind of person. She waits until Hawke has finished, and then says, "I have to believe that he is trying to atone for his actions." She doesn't want to admit that she has been able to ignore his previous anti-mage predilections. She's been clinging to the hope that breaking the lyrium addiction will signify the start of a long repentance. In a way, she's heard all of Hawke's accusations before. And she's not necessarily disagreeing with them, but she finds it hard to believe that Cullen hasn't changed at all since Kirkwall.

Hawke looks her in the eye for an uncomfortable five seconds. "See that you keep an eye on him, if you care about the mages behind your walls."

Aurelia turns and finds Cullen in the crowd again. He's talking to a group of Grey Wardens, some of whom are mages. She can't tell whether he looks uncomfortable because of the staffs at their backs or the fact that they had all been mere moments away from being held under Corypheus's sway.

"I will," she says.


End file.
